Translation

Nikephoros sebastophoros and doux of the Great Theoupolis Antioch, and man of our mighty and holy emperor.

Commentary

This is the notorious eunuch Nikephoritzes, who twice held ofﬁce as doux of Antioch. He was certainly in this position in 1062–63; he was removed, but returned later, only to be removed for a second time in 1067: cf. Laurent, “Gouverneurs d’Antioche,” nos. 25, 27; Todt, “Region,” 304–5. Two more seals of Nikephoros sebastophoros and doux of Antioch, decorated with Sts. Peter and Paul, have been published by Cheynet, “Sceaux byzantins,” no. 50. These seals do not record the qualiﬁcation “anthropos of the emperor” inscribed on our specimens to underline the personal relationship between Nikephoritzes and the emperor Constantine X Doukas (1059–67). There is no way to determine which of the two seal types Nikephoritzes used during his ﬁrst or second mandate.

This seal follows the same model as BZS.1958.106.5430, but they are from different boulloteria.

Accession number

BZS 1951.31.5.48

Diameter

48 mm

Field diameter

44 mm

Condition

Partly obliterated at the top of the reverse field.

Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 9.7a. Other specimens are published in Sig. 310, no. 4, and by Laurent, "Gouverneurs d'Antioche," no. 25, with a brief mention of this seal.